Bab 39: [39] The Battle At Kokushikan- The Two's Home Field
Chapter 39: The Battle At Kokushikan- The Two's Home Field
After achieving the double play, Eijun was in an excellent form.
The sixth batter from Kokushikan couldn't stand a chance against Eijun.
With just two pitches, the sixth batter had already exerted all his effort, but without making solid contact, his strength fell short, and he couldn't drive Eijun's tricky pitches effectively.
"Ping"
A clearly hit fly ball to the outfield, sailing lazily into left field, where it was easily caught by the Seidou High School left fielder.
"Pop"
"Out!"
"Three outs, changeover."
"Haha, still just three batters, Sawamura, you're in excellent form!"
"Nice pitch, Eijun-kun."
"Against Kokushikan, performing like this is really impressive."
"You should be proud today, kid."
As Eijun jogged back to the bench from the mound, the upperclassmen in the second string didn't hold back their praises, even giving Eijun encouraging pats on the head.
These seniors had been watching Eijun's performance in the second string's matches all along.
His dedication during practice was evident for everyone to see.
Naturally, their recognition and approval of Eijun were steadily increasing.
Of course, reaching the level of being recognized as an ace was still a bit distant; after all, Eijun's impressive displays were mainly possible within the second string, and he was exploiting the element of surprise with his unfamiliar pitch style.
Even so, Eijun's performance could be considered outstanding.
This was also why Coach Kataoka wanted Eijun to be the starting pitcher and see the game through.
He was particularly interested in how Eijun would perform against Kokushikan, currently considered a second-tier team in East Tokyo, especially as he made it through at least three rounds of their batting lineup. In previous games, Eijun often stopped around the second inning and conceded some runs. This time, Kataoka wished to see if Eijun could deliver a pitcher's stability through complete innings.
This, more than anything, is a crucial quality for a pitcher, potentially even the most indispensable aspect of an ace!
Watching Eijun run back to the dugout, Coach Kataoka's eyes, hidden behind his sunglasses, flickered with a peculiar light, which he quickly concealed.
"Nice pitch, Sawamura."
Back in the dugout, Chris greeted him with a warm smile, speaking softly.
"Yes, Chris-senpai."
Eijun, naturally, was unaware of Coach Kataoka's expectations for him at this stage.
Right now, his mind harbored only a single thought: to pitch this game well.
"In the later stages of the game, the likelihood of conceding runs is extremely high."
As Seidou took their turn to bat, Eijun sat in the dugout, observing the actions on the field while pondering silently.
It was evident that Kokushikan's batters, more or less, managed to touch his pitches.
In previous practice games, it usually took other teams until the second inning of batting to do so.
In this regard, Kokushikan's strength is undoubtedly superior to those other schools. Not to mention, their cleanup hitter managed a base hit in his first at-bat. Whether it was due to skill or brute force, a hit is still a hit.
"Given this situation, the likelihood of them catching onto my pitches in the second inning of the lineup is quite high, which means hits may start to appear. By the third inning, I might have difficulty controlling the game. Worse still, if my control falters and I make a poor pitch, it could be disastrous. I need to attack the inside corners aggressively, abandon unnecessary pitches, and use the cutter at critical moments. Quick attacks can yield the best results. Even if I give up runs, I must keep it to a minimum!"
Eijun's eyes flickered with a subtle light as he thought this through carefully.
Not far away, in Kokushikan's dugout, Naoyuki Zaizen observed Chris's smiling face, his eyes filled with a mix of satisfaction, anger, unwillingness, and regret. Then, his gaze shifted to Eijun.
His right hand clenched into a fist, and after a moment, a determined look flashed in Zaizen's eyes.
"Ping!"
"Whoosh!"
"Ohhhhhhh!!!!"
While Eijun was lost in thought, a thunderous cheer suddenly erupted from the field.
Eijun quickly looked up to see the white ball speeding over the infield and outfield, crashing hard into the high fence atop the home run board.
Instantly, a certain pink-haired player became the center of attention, raising his right hand with an iconic blush on his cheeks.
Haruichi Kominato, from Seidou's second string, had just hit his first home run in a practice match!
"Home run!!!!"
"What the heck, it's surprising enough that someone with that build can hit a long ball, but a home run? Are you kidding me?"
"Hey, hey, hey, this isn't middle school, or a Senior League field."
"Wow, this first-year is truly something else."
"The flexibility of his technique, the precise body rotation compensates for his lack of power. True, the pitcher's delivery lacked force, but managing to hit a home run is still remarkable for this kid."
"No way, are Seidou's first-years all this strong?"
"Speaking of which, they've already got Furuya on the first string, and now these two in the second string..."
"Today is really the two first-years' home field..."
With Eijun's shining performance setting the stage, Haruichi added his own outstanding presence.
In just two innings, the audience around them had already shown a great deal of recognition and expectation for the two players, especially the media reporters who were expressing a growing interest.
It looks like Seidou has quite the promising year ahead, doesn't it?
Haruichi's impressive performance made the atmosphere in Kokushikan's dugout increasingly tense. They had managed to get two outs smoothly, with no one on base, yet still conceded a home run.
Most crucially, it was hit by a first-year student!
This stirred anger throughout the Kokushikan team, with their coach's face visibly darkening. This was just Seidou's second string, and in these opening two innings, they were completely outplayed. If they were to face Seidou's first string, would it mean an insurmountable difference, or perhaps a game ending prematurely?
The more he thought about it, the more displeased the Kokushikan coach became.
On the other side, at the first base side, Seidou High School's dugout saw Coach Kataoka nodding slightly, his eyes showing a glimmer of satisfaction.
With such a performance, Haruichi had surely become a player worthy of being considered a part of Kataoka's strategic arsenal.
Haruichi!!!!
A bright light gleamed in Eijun's eyes. As expected, you are special, indeed.
The last two spots on the first string roster.
We both just have to secure them absolutely. Today is our stage, so give it your all, Haruichi!!!
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